Making a river crossing
Talking about drown proofing, I remember the training about crossing a river. I
know how it should be done even after all these years, however; it seems like in
Viet Nam we got across as fast as possible. Which always made sense with all
those “things” in the water. I recall one time when we were getting ready to go
into the river. We lined up with me behind the Marine carrying the M-79 (the
blooper—the sound it made when fired) and that heavy bag of rounds. We called
this Marine Barney (Rubble) after the character on The Flintstones because
that’s who he looks like to us. He was one of the smallest men (about 5’6″) in
the platoon and was built like a square block of wood with a great easy laugh.
Anyways, Barney jumps into the river with his weapon and ammo bag over his head.
All anyone could see of him was his helmet going across the water like a turtle.
He made to the other side just in time to breath again. He explain that he
couldn’t actually touch the river bottom so he had to tiptoe his way across. We
all had a laugh at the sight of watching that helmet going through the water.
Barney was laughing the loudest of us all after we explain what he looked like.
Thankfully, he didn’t head in the wrong direction once he got into river
otherwise we
might not have seen him again due to how muddy the water was. I can’t wait until
Marines learn how to walk on water. That should make the process of river
crossings easier for those Marines who stand closer to Mother Earth.
I have a big” Knot” in my stomach reading this. We lost a Marine when we went into a stream. The water was pretty swift and deeper then we thought and he lost his footing. We were spread out about 5 or 6 meters apart and in a mater of seconds he was gone.He was found a few days later hung up on a floatbridge near the ville of Dien Ban. Trying to remember his name, sadly I cannot! After that we would have to have a really good reason to make a crossing in an unfamiliar stream. Bill 0331
Ok, so he JUMPS in the water. with his weapon and ammo BAG (Not bandoliers ) OVER HIS HEAD, but yet all you can see is his HELMET. Hmmmmm. I remember jumping off of a river bank but that was because we were being shot at. great story Robert. Nick
good catch Nick, that went right by me! Bill 0331
I heard all you had to do was yell Chesty’s name and the waters would part. But then again, yelling in Nam wasn’t a great idea. LOL
I had a lieutenant that thought he could walk on the water
I carried the 79 in Nam with Delta 1/9 and carried all my rounds in a bag. Actually two bags, not in bandoliers. The rest of the squad carried one bandolier each. In a fire fight it was much faster to pull rounds out of a bag than a bandolier. Loved shooting the 79, but when I took over the squad, I was glad to not have to carry all that weight any more.
Now that I think more about it, It was both. I remember one of our Thumper Shooters using a bag from a c-4 satchel charge. I stand corrected. Thanks John Nick 0311 3/1